Amsterdam IJburg, NL

Block 62 IJburg

The island of IJburg on the eastern outskirts of Amsterdam has a fairly neutral urban development plan, in which each of the approximately seventy blocks has its own character.
Block 62 is one of the few blocks composed solely of low-rise buildings: it consists of 96 ground-oriented, owner-occupied dwellings.

We have allied individual freedom for the occupants with a very urban design. A city canal runs straight through the block, and makes a bend in the middle.
A considerable number of houses have direct access to the water via their own jetty: you literally step from your living room into your boat.

Parking occurs in a completely sunken car park. This enabled us to make a car-free play street out of the roadway running through the block.
North facing gardens are avoided on the south side by creating a long narrow wall with urban dwellings having a generous balcony facing south.

Our point of departure has been that its occupants will be able to enjoy living in Block 62 both now and in the future.
The shell of most of the residences has therefore been so designed that they can easily be extended by one or two extra rooms, an extra bathroom or a roof garden.
So the residents do not have to move house the moment there are additions to the family or a change in housing requirements, for they will be able to adapt the dwelling to the new situation.

Block 62 is a very varied block with 28 different types of housing: there are urban residences with large balconies, spacious houses on the water with their own landing jetty, family homes with gardens and the Pampus house of more than 225m², which has a view of Pampus from the roof terrace on clear days.

The building has outside facades of brick, with bay windows. The ‘eyebrows’ above the windows, doors and balconies give the facades a friendly character.
We have spared no expense in the interior, using colourful glass in various shades of red. These make the rear facades, which only the residents can see, just as significant as the front.